Us Vs Bolivia: Will They Face Off?

The United States Men's National Team (USMNT) played against Bolivia in the 2024 Copa América tournament. The match took place on June 23, 2024, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and resulted in a 2-0 victory for the USMNT. This was the USMNT's fifth appearance in the Copa América tournament, and they were eager to impress in front of a crowd of 47,873 attendees. Christian Pulisic, the USMNT's leading player with 68 appearances and 29 goals, scored the first goal within the first three minutes of the game, becoming the fastest American goal in 34 competitive matches against South American opponents. The second goal was scored by Folarin Balogun in the 44th minute, with an assist from Pulisic. This marked the USMNT's first win in their 2024 Copa América campaign, setting a positive tone for the rest of the tournament.

The US vs Bolivia match in June 2024

The United States men's national team kicked off its CONMEBOL Copa América campaign in June 2024 with a match against Bolivia at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. This was the United States' fifth Copa América appearance, and the second time they hosted the tournament.

The game, which took place on June 23, 2024, saw the USMNT take on Bolivia in a Group C matchup. The US team was led by Gregg Berhalter, while Bolivia was coached by Antônio Carlos Zago.

The US got off to a strong start with Christian Pulisic scoring a goal in the third minute, the fastest American goal in 34 competitive matches against South American opponents. Pulisic joined Clint Dempsey as the only US players with a goal and an assist in a Copa América match. Folarin Balogun doubled the US lead in the 44th minute, with his fourth goal in 13 appearances. The game ended with a score of 2-0 for the US, marking Bolivia's 13th straight loss in the Copa América tournament.

The US improved its record at the AT&T Stadium to 6-0 and advanced to play Panama in Atlanta, while Bolivia prepared to meet Uruguay in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Christian Pulisic's goal and assist

Christian Pulisic's early goal and assist helped the United States men's national team (USMNT) secure a 2-0 victory over Bolivia in their Copa América opener on 23 June 2024. The match was held at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and marked the USMNT's fifth Copa América appearance.

Pulisic, a star player for the U.S. men's national team, scored a "brilliant" and "stunning" goal in the third minute of the game. He played a short corner kick to Timothy Weah and then ran toward the penalty area. Weah returned the ball to Pulisic, who took a touch and, from just inside the area, curled a right-foot shot past the goalkeeper, Guillermo Viscarra, into the far upper corner. This was Pulisic's 30th international goal in 69 appearances, making him the fastest American to reach this milestone.

Pulisic also provided an assist for Folarin Balogun's goal in the 44th minute. He passed the ball to Balogun, who took several touches before threading a low, left-foot shot past defender Jesús Sagredo and inside Viscarra's far post. This was Balogun's fourth goal in 13 appearances.

Pulisic's performance in the game, described as a "superstar showing," helped the USMNT start the tournament on a positive note.

The US' Copa América campaign

The 2024 Copa América was hosted by the United States from 20 June to 14 July. This was the second time the US hosted the tournament, the first being the Copa América Centenario in 2016. The US men's national team kicked off its campaign with a match against Bolivia on 23 June at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

The US team was competing as a guest team, having qualified for the tournament by winning its CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals series over Trinidad and Tobago 4-2 on aggregate in November. This was the United States' fifth Copa América appearance. In its four previous appearances, the US had advanced past the group stage twice, finishing fourth in both instances.

The US team was led by Gregg Berhalter, who had also led the team during the 2022 World Cup, where they advanced to the Round of 16. Christian Pulisic, with 68 appearances and 29 goals, was a key player for the US. Other notable players included Weston McKennie, with 53 appearances, 11 goals, and 7 assists, and Antonee Robinson, a dynamic left back with 43 appearances.

In their opening match against Bolivia, the US delivered a dominant performance, winning 2-0. Pulisic scored in the third minute and assisted on Folarin Balogun's goal in the 44th minute. This victory marked the US team's first win in an opening Copa América game since 1995. The US improved its record at the AT&T Stadium to 6-0 and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Bolivia's 13 consecutive losses in Copa América

Bolivia, the reigning Copa América champions in 1963, have had a challenging run in recent editions of the tournament. In June 2024, they lost their 13th consecutive match in the Copa América, dating back to 2015. This extended a winless streak that saw them with only one victory in their previous 31 matches.

Bolivia's last win in the Copa América came in 2015 when they defeated Ecuador 3-2 in their second group game. This victory ended a previous winless streak that stretched back to 1997, when they beat Venezuela 1-0 in the opening group match.

The Bolivian team has struggled to advance beyond the group stage in recent Copa América tournaments. In the 2015 edition, they reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1997 but were eliminated by Peru. In the following three editions, they suffered losses in all their games, failing to progress from the group stage.

Bolivia's performance in the 2024 Copa América continued their streak of losses, falling 2-0 to the United States in their opening match. This was followed by a 5-0 defeat to Uruguay, marking their 14th consecutive loss in the tournament. With these results, Bolivia faced a challenging path to advance beyond the group stage for the fourth consecutive time.

Despite their recent struggles, Bolivia has a rich football history, including their 1963 Copa América championship title and a runner-up finish in 1997. However, their recent performance has prompted reflections on the state of football in the country, with the Bolivian Football Federation's president vowing to rebuild and improve the national football system.

The US' 18 touches inside the attacking penalty area in the first half

The US men's national team kicked off its CONMEBOL Copa América campaign with a match against Bolivia at AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The US team dominated the first half of the game, with 18 touches inside the attacking penalty area to Bolivia's none.

The penalty area, also known as the 18-yard box or simply "the box," is a critical area of the football pitch. It extends 18 yards to each side of the goal and 18 yards in front of it. The attacking team typically aims to advance the ball and their players into the defending team's penalty area, as a high percentage of goals in professional football are scored from within this area.

In the match against Bolivia, the US team demonstrated their offensive prowess by consistently penetrating the attacking penalty area. This dominance in the final third of the pitch contributed to their overall success in the game.

The US team's strategy and execution in the first half set the tone for the rest of the match. Their ability to create scoring opportunities and apply pressure on Bolivia's defense was evident from the start. The 18 touches inside the attacking penalty area not only showcased the skill and coordination of the US players but also put Bolivia's defense on the back foot.

The US team's performance in the attacking penalty area contributed to their overall victory in the game. Their aggressive play and ability to create chances from within this critical area of the pitch were key factors in the outcome of the match.

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